


The Only Parent He Had Left

by things_keep_happening



Category: Batman (Movies - Nolan), Batman - All Media Types
Genre: Angst, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Minor Character Death
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-10-11
Updated: 2016-10-11
Packaged: 2018-08-21 19:27:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,347
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/8257615
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/things_keep_happening/pseuds/things_keep_happening
Summary: “All better now eh? Ya will scream nice for me now and lure the Batman here?” Joker asked pleased with himself. He had already become a bit bored with Wayne at this point even despite his divine smell, so he was glad Wayne pulled back before he had to stab him in the stomach.Wayne whimpered and then his gaze suddenly focused with a silent snap, burning into Joker with damning intensity.“Please, you promised,” he said, voice rough.”You promised you would kill me if I wanted you to.”





	

 

Breaking into Wayne Manor hadn't been difficult. Joker had decided to climb up on a grappling hook he stole from Batman ages ago and enter through the bedroom like Rapunzel's prince. Luckily enough the window was already open to let him in and sweep his princess off her feet. He tiptoed through the dark, gesturing silently for his men to follow, cursing when he bumped his foot on a desk. While he had chosen this exact night for this scheme because of the utter blackness that wrapped a figure into anonymity, he hadn't thought to consider that he had to actually see and move in this darkness. And the weak moonlight wasn't exactly a help since clouds swallowed most of its glow.

 

He wished he could just flip the light switch, but he had to keep the element of surprise, and light coming out of a room that was supposed to be dark was mighty suspicious. He couldn't risk Wayne calling the cops on him too soon.

 

Once he checked his surroundings as much as possible in the dead black, he grimaced slightly. The room was elaborately furnished and dripped old fashioned wealth out of every corner and weighty adornment. There was smooth mahogany furniture everywhere and gold in spades. A giant king sized bed graced the middle and completed the picture of tacky money flaunting. Exactly the kind of space he had imagined the shallow playboy to inhabit. It was sickening.

 

Moving silently to the door he noticed a shape on the bed, curled up under the bed cover. No. It couldn't be, could it? This was almost hilariously easy. Slowly, ever so slowly he drew near and slid the blanket off, the silk cold and smooth beneath his fingers. Joker squinted and with much effort, he could make out the features of the man lying before him,

 

It was Bruce Wayne, just as he had suspected.

 

Holding in a delighted giggle, he motioned for one of his boys to set up the camera and give him the ropes. Trailing softly over the rough material he tested them with all his strength and made a satisfied noise when they held up. He didn't want his princess to run away before the real fun started. He leaned over Wayne and grabbed his hand, staring at his relaxed face all the while to make sure he wouldn't wake up too soon. Joker bound the ropes tightly around Wayne's wrists and then pulled them down to his feet.

 

Suddenly Wayne jerked around and Joker sucked in a startled breath. He punched Wayne in the face out of pure reflex. Wayne's head snapped back with the harsh force and he slumped down into the mattress. Unconscious.

 

Joker's rapid breathing was loud in the room, he stared at the still figure, eyes wide. Well, that escalated quickly. Licking over cold lips, he unclenched his fist and relished in the familiar pain radiating from his knuckles. He frowned. This hadn't been in the plan.

 

“I guess we'll just have to wait until he wakes up to film then,” he muttered and continued binding Wayne into a neat little package.“Since he's knocked out now ya can put the light on Chuckles.”

 

Chuckles went and did as he was told, bringing fluorescent light into the room. Joker winced when the light hit his tired eyes. Insomnia really was a bitch.

 

He ordered the other thug to secure the door and hallway outside the bedroom with his gun ready for use. He didn't want anyone to disturb them.

 

Joker pulled Wayne up and with the rest of the ropes and tied him to a chair, then he made sure that his men set the camera up right. Joker always had to double check everything they did,he employed them because of their muscle, not their intellect. Once he heard Wayne came to with a loud groan behind him, Joker grinned.

 

He purred into the camera lens and hit 'play'.“Look, citizens of Gotham, what I have here- your golden boy!“ Giggling in dizzy delight he pointed it at the slumped down billionaire. “How are you Mister Wayne?” he asked sweetly.

 

Wayne let out a wet chuckle before bursting into crazed laughter, tears running down his face in waves.”Never,” he gasped. “Never been better.” Then he abruptly stopped laughing and all that remained were terrible sobs.

 

Joker frowned and went to him, poking him in the chest.“What the hell- you're off the script pretty boy. You're supposed to cry after I threatened you. Gotcha?” Joker drawled. Glancing down at Wayne's shirt, he added; “And where is all that blood from anyway? Looks like you had a slaughter party without good ol' me.”

 

Wayne didn't answer and continued his ugly sobbing. Joker sighed and made a sharp gesture over his throat, signaling the goons that they should take them off air. He pulled a chair over, sitting down beside Wayne.

 

“Look, I want this to be over as much as you do. And the sooner we get this done, the sooner Batman will come and rescue you, alright?” Joker tried for placating, though the words were clumsy on his tongue. He gave Wayne a fake, harmless smile, feeling his face stretch into ways it wasn't made for. He was a predator by nature, such an expression was abnormal to him.

 

Wayne just stared at him blankly for a second before shaking his head in bitter amusement, never stopping the tears that still flowed down and pooled on his collarbone. Wayne was a disheveled mess. He wore a suit without a jacket and a tie hung loosely around his throat like someone pulled at it, hair ruffled and red blood stark against a bright white shirt.

 

Joker grimaced and laid a hand on Wayne's back, petting awkwardly. Wayne was warm under his fingers, almost unnaturally hot.“There, there,“ he said uncomfortably, grinding his teeth so he wouldn't just snap Wayne's neck then and there.

 

Miraculously Wayne leaned into Joker's touch. His wet, cool face buried into the curve between shoulder and neck. Startled at the move, Joker let him. The pleasant smell of cologne and metal seeped in Joker's nostrils and he inhaled it greedily, turning to get closer to Wayne.

 

 _Well,....that was ...unexpected._ , he thought and cradled Wayne's head to him like a baby, rocking him slightly and humming the start of a tune he didn't quite remember. He sniffed along the expanse of Wayne's throat, not caring that he was being more than a bit unsubtle. Wayne's odor was thick and sluggish on his tongue, it reminded Joker of nights rich with thunder and hurried, clammy punches. A dark shape surrounded by rain like sea foam and a low rumble.

 

Joker could barely bite back a moan.

 

Out of the corner of his eye, Joker could see his men getting uncomfortable at the turn the situation had taken, they exchanged disturbed glances. Joker snorted and held Wayne together as he shook in Joker's embrace, making sure he didn't fall apart like a broken mannequin.

 

After a while, Wayne pulled back, bruised eyes glassy and seeing right through Joker. He opened his mouth to speak but only a keening animal sound escaped. Joker grimaced and wiped the glistening wetness from Wayne's cheeks roughly, using the hem of his purple jacket. Wayne voiced a muffled petulant protest, but Joker continued until Wayne's face was completely dry.

 

“All better now eh? Ya will scream nice for me now and lure the Batman here?” Joker asked pleased with himself. He had already become a bit bored with Wayne at this point even despite his divine smell, so he was glad Wayne pulled back before he had to stab him in the stomach.

 

Wayne whimpered and then his gaze suddenly focused with a silent snap, burning into Joker with damning intensity.“Please, you promised,” he said, voice rough.”You promised you would kill me if I wanted you to.”

 

Joker's mouth twitched up into a sardonic smile but then the words registered fully, and they knocked him into a memory like a punch to the head.

 

He remembered a night not too long ago, both of them fight-dancing like they always did. And then a fateful slip of Batman's feet on the rooftop edge. His own maniac laughter as he promised to always safe Batman and only take his life if he wished so. Batman's disgusted face at his words and the hand that still reached out for him in despair nonetheless.

 

Yes, he remembered alright. He had gotten off later that night with the smell of Batman's hand still on his.

 

“Bats,” Joker breathed in shocked reference. His stomach did a giant flip and crushed his lungs,pressing all the oxygen out of his body. Joker looked him over, trying to burn every feature into his mind, unbelieving, afraid Wayne-no- _Batman_ would dissolve right before his very eyes. Trailing trembling hands over Batman's throat and face. Batman shuddered beneath him, and weirdly enough, that was what made the situation actually real to him. Bruce Wayne was Batman. Batman was right before him, tied up and vulnerable.

 

Joker laughed in giddy delight, eyes crinkling at the corners. This was the best damned day of his life. He pressed their forehead together,studying Batman's black empty eyes, so much like his own that it send a thrill through his blood and left him breathless.

 

“Oh,oh,oh this is wonderful,“ he purred.

 

He sunk fingers into Batman's hair and bend down to leave obnoxious smacking kisses all over him. Warmth tingled on Joker's lips and he could barely contain his heart from bursting out of his rib cage, it beat like a sledgehammer and pumped him full of exhilaration. Batman didn't react to Joker's affections, though, no matter how much Joker cooed at him. He just kept staring at ahead eerily calm, like a wax figure, skin almost translucent in the artificial light.

 

“Will you do it? Will you kill me?” Batman asked quietly.

 

Joker stopped in mid-motion, his body freezing. The feeling slowly drained out of his limbs and face, leaving him numb and cold. “What?” he asked lightly, lips barely moving.

 

“Will you kill me?” Batman repeated.

 

Joker's brow furrowed, he looked around at his goons that were watching the whole spectacle in unnerved confusion. “Okay guys, we end it here. Make sure no one disturbs us and I dunno drink a coffee or something.” He gestured at the door in a shooing motion.

 

“No!” Batman became agitated, he tried to get free of the ropes, jerking like a wild animal. “No, they can't go downstairs. He is there. He hates entertaining guests at such short notice. He hates it,” Batman said frantically.

 

Joker clicked his tongue.“Ya heard the man. Down the way ya came, folks.”

 

When they opened their mouths to protest Joker cocked a warning eyebrow and they nodded meekly, scuttling away out of the window. Joker watched them go with something akin to dread, this whole night was like a surreal dream and he was afraid that he was completely in over his head here. The initial delight at discovering Batman, of having him right beside himself slowly faded and got replaced by anxiousness at what the terrible state that Batman was in implied. Batman was the strongest, most stubborn bastard Joker knew and for him to break down like that- It was atypical. Terrifying.

 

Joker turned to Batman and rested his chin in one hand, watching him idly. Batman had calmed down instantly after Joker's men left like someone flipped a switch in him. Now he was blank and emotionless, his gaze dead, and that was even worse than the agitation from before.

 

“Why do you want to die Bats?” Joker asked softly.

 

Batman's jaw clenched. He avoided Joker's eyes.“Can't you just do it?” he ground out, some of his spunk showing through.

 

“No!” Joker snapped, more uncontrolled than he had intended to, his pleasant expression was wiped away in favor of rage. Though Joker suspected that something too vulnerable, something cracked must have been detectable because Batman's gaze snapped up, staring at him wide-eyed.

 

Joker smiled, glad he finally got Batman's attention. Pretending that the motion didn't make all the muscles in his face ache.

 

“Tell me.”

 

Batman closed his eyes like even bracing himself for the following words hurt. “Alfred fell,” he choked out, voice catching in a dry sob halfway.”And when I came home he lay there on the stairs and his neck points in the wrong way and he is so cold and he isn't breathing and the blood,oh god the blood,” he moaned in horror, starting to gag.

 

The pain on Batman's face was unbearable. It cut through Joker's muscles and skin right into the black meat of his heart. He couldn't stand it. He wanted to change the subject but the only thing he could think of was the blood smeared elephant in the room. The apparent cause for Batman's distress. 

 

“Who was he to you?” Joker asked, trying to get a reading on the severity of Batman's predicament.

 

“My but-...the...only parent I have left,” he whispered hollowly.

 

Well shit.

 

“Well shit,” Joker said flatly.

 

Batman nodded, huffing out a bitter laugh, although his eyes contained deep suffering. Somehow Joker got the impression this wasn't funny at all.

 

Joker stood up and pulled Batman roughly into his arms, torso flush against his stomach, the ropes not allowing for more. Joker sat half in Batman's lap and pressed every inch of them together. And that's when Joker felt Batman finally break against him, the last bits of his stoic composure cracked and crumbled into nothing. Batman screamed a piercing howl and trashed as far as the ropes allowed, trying to bite and kick and hurt. Joker just held on steadily, he was the rock to Batman's storm, remaining calm, not commenting, always pulling him even closer.

 

Batman didn't make any distinguishable words. He just screeched hurt and spiteful syllables, smacking his head over and over again against Joker's chest.

 

Snot and tears seeped in Joker's shirt, warm and sticky, a humbling display of grief far deeper than Joker could ever comprehend. This wasn't the pretty crying of actors in a movie, it was the crying of a man who thought he was unbreakable but had been broken nonetheless. Batman's trembling resonated in his Joker's teeth and bones. Joker was afraid he couldn't shake off that sensation ever again. He looked down at Batman, at his rumpled clothes and sickly damp skin, at the wide eyes staring unseeingly, pooling tears like blood from an artery. Joker sighed at the sight.

 

It was primal. It was horrid. It was a person during their complete meltdown.

 

And it broke Joker's black twisted heart.

 

When Batman had finished his wrists were bleeding from the ropes, his voice almost gone. He wouldn't look at Joker but that was just as well. Joker felt like someone pumped him full of morphine, strangely numb and far too weak. Ants were crawling in his feet. Every step he took back to the bed was unsteady, knees slipping away before turning solid again without his permission like they suffered from millisecond sleep.

 

Joker dropped onto the bed, watching Batman out of the corner of his eye. They were both silent for a short while. Then Bat wiggled his fingers. Joker huffed and jumped up again, opening the ropes, following the voiceless request.

 

Batman stretched his arms and winced slightly when he spotted the blood at his wrists. Joker snorted. As if Batman really cared about physical damage, if he did he would have stopped this gig ages ago. Or at least been less reckless.

 

“Come to bed with me,” Joker said, touching Batman's arm, trying to steer him away.

 

Batman shook his head and caught Joker's hand in his, gripping tightly. His brow furrowed, gaze turning unfocused and skittish.“You have to kill me,” He put an arm protectively over his stomach, looking like a scared kid in the dark.

 

Well so much for being the dark knight, eh? A dark knight afraid of the dark was about as useful as a broken doll. Or an unfunny comedian.

 

“C'mon. I'm far too tired for killing. My whole body hurts from stilling your thrashing. And my gun is with my men I would have to climb down again and I can barely stand,” Joker cooed softly and drew him near enough to sit on the edge of the bed, petting the space beside him in an inviting manner.

 

“We'll do it tomorrow I promise,” he added when Batman continued to stare at him with burning eyes.

 

Batman nodded, crawling on the bed with jerky movements. Joker lay next to him and watched him attentively, ready to spring into action in case Batman decided to do something stupid. But Batman didn't move, his whole body as still as a corpse. He really must have been dead exhausted.

 

“I'm sorry;” Batman whispered, fingers latching onto Jokes in an uncoordinated fumbling touch.“I didn't mean to make you unable to kill.”

 

Joker wondered if Batman actually heard the nonsense he was sprouting. After all, a blind guy without eyes could see that Joker had made that crap up to get Batman to sleep. You knew something was seriously wrong with Batman if he apologized, even more so if he apologized for preventing a crime.

 

“It's alright. Tomorrow will all be fine again,” Joker lied and somehow he figured that Batman caught onto it, though he didn't comment. Batman swallowed hard and rested his head on Joker's chest, soft hair tickling along Joker's chin.

 

“This used to be my parent's bedroom, you know? I never set foot in here since...not after...Not after. Today is the first time.” He blinked slowly, voice strangely flat and childlike at the same time. “Do you think they're mad at me?”

 

Something lodged in Joker's throat and clogged it up to the brim. He studied Batman, the way he curled up to Joker like a helpless defeated man. And a burn surged up his veins, a hot sticky sensation that consumed Joker whole. He swore silently that he would kill anything and everything that dared to bring Batman this low again. Even if it was Joker himself.

 

“No,” Joker eventually said, voice thick with an emotion he couldn't define.”I think they're proud of you Bruce.”

 

Batman sighed and Joker put a heavy arm around him, holding him close. He didn't question the new firestorm that raged inside him and roasted his guts black. He just wanted Batman to take his words as gospel and stop behaving so untypical. He just wanted Batman to be himself again.

 

“Liar,” Batman whispered.

 

Joker caught Batman's jaw and turned his chin up so he would glance at Joker. He grimaced at the dark shadows under Batman's eyes and the way his cheeks were sunken in. It made him look like a starved man.

 

“This isn't your fault.”

 

Batman nodded after a few moments of silence, though he obviously didn't believe Joker. Why should he, really? Batman had no reason to pay attention to anything Joker said. Joker - and that much he could admit to himself - was a known pathological liar after all.

 

Joker let go of Batman's jaw and Batman buried down again.

 

No kind words of Joker's would be appreciated by Batman, nor any other form of help even Joker himself wasn't sure he was capable of giving.

 

The only thing that he could do was be here, right beside Batman while he grieved.

 

They lay in silence for several minutes, Joker counted Batman's breaths, tuning their breathing patterns until they were the same, the tranquility of the moment undisturbed by the wind bellowing outside. Then a soft snore sounded in the room. Joker brushed a stray hair from Batman's eyelids before closing his own with a content sigh.

 

Perhaps staying here could be enough.

 

It would have to be.

 

**Author's Note:**

> So that was my contribution to the fandom. I hope you liked it. :D


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